Mechanical time-fuse.



No. 888,584. f PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

l K. WIBSER. MECHANICAL TIME FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 9.1906.

\ unir KARL WIESER, OF ESSEN-RTTENSCHEID, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

MECHANICAL TIIVIE-FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed. April 9, 1906. Serial No. 310,802.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL WIEsER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Essen-Rttensoheid, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Time-Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to mechanical time-fuses in which the igniting mechanism (igniting spring or the like) is held under tension through the medium of a rotatable locking-ring.

The object of the invention is to provide the time-use with a so-called dead-point thatis to say, provide means whereby the fuse may be adjusted to a position in which it cannot act as a time-fuse.

In the accompanying drawing, in which the invention is shown, by way of example, as applied to the f'use forming the subject matter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 728,151, granted May 12, 1903, to Carl Baken-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the time-fuse, an impact fuse connected therewith and a art of the projectile; Fig. 2 is a section on ine 2 2, Fig. 1, looking from above; Fig. 3 shows a detail in side-view, and Fig. 4 shows a part of Fig. 2 on an enlargedscale.

The general arrangement and mode of operation of the mechanical time-fuse selected to'illustrate the use of my invention, is well own.

When the ring spring A, which carries the firing pin a', is under tension, it lies against the shoulder b', of the locking shaft B which carries the locking lever C with upwardly bent free end c. The spring c2 (Fig. 2) tends to turn the lever C and the shaft B in the direction of the arrow a; (Fig. 2); that is to say, it tends to bring the shaft B in alposition in which the shoulder t releases the firing spring A.

D is the locking ring which is fitted on the spindle E of the clock-Work (only partly shown). and which is provided with a notch d ermitting the passage of the end c of'the loc 'ng lever. The spindle E is engaged by the spiral spring F (Fig. 1) which, when under tension, tends to turn the spindle in the direction of the arrow 'y (Fig. 2). In order to adjust the time of ignition of the fuse by turning the cap G, the locking ring D is connected with the cap G by means of a coupling gi, d2, which is automatically released by centrifugal force developed in the rotation of the projectile.

In the plates L L', of the clockwork, a safety-bolt M is arranged in such a manner that it can move under its own inertia when the projectile is red. A spring N tends to --hold the bolt M` in the securing position shown in the drawing. In this position the head m of the bolt M is located in the ath of travel of two arms e and b2, one of w ich (e) is rigidly connected to the spindle E and the other (b2) to the locking shaft B.V The `secur1ng arrangement is so selected that the end c Vof the locking lever is slightly spaced I from the outer surface of the locking rlng D when the arm b2 of the locking shaft B lies against the head m of the bolt M.

No invention per se is claimed forthe arf rangement as hitherto described, as it does not form the subject matter of the present application. a

The outer face of the'locking ring D is rovided with a stop (Z3 (Figs. 2 to 4) whic is situated a short distance from the notch d in the direction opposite the arrow y. The radial dimension of the stop is such that its path of rotation is not .intersected by the end c of the locking lever when the arm b2 lies against the head m of the rbolt M; consequently the locking lever C does not prevent Iflgtation of the locking ring D in timing the The impact fuse P arranged on the fuse body H is of known construction.

The outer face of the fuse bod'y H is provided with a scale J (Fig. 2) while the cap G carries an index K. An arrow 'i' on the scale J indicates the dead point of the fuse.

In the transport vcondition of the mechanical time fuse, the springs A and F are under tension and the arms e and b2 lie against the` head m of the bolt M so as to prevent both the starting of the clock work and the turning of the locking shaft B, necessary for the release of the firing spring.

If it is desired to ignite the charge by means of the impact 'fuse P, and not by means of the mechanical time fuse, the cap G lso loo

is adjusted to the osition in which the index Y When the .projectile is fired 0H the bolt M moves under its own inertia to such an extent that the arms e and b2 can swmg freely outward. The clock-work starts and the spindle E turns in the direction of the arrow vent-further turningl of the locking ring and the firing spring A is therefore held in the locked position and does not become released. When the rojectile hits the target, the fuse P acts in the known manner.

It will be noted that the locking ring provides a spring-driven timing means, adjustable to determine the la se of time prior to the action lof the fuse, t 1e ignition-controlling detent or means for producing ignition being controlled by the ring and adapted to engage or interlock with the ring to prevent the action of the ring when the latter is moved to a certain osition. The stop d3 serves as a locking-member with which the ignition-controlling detent is adapted for interlocking connection. It will be further noted that I provide a means thrown into locking engagement with the timing mechanism only when the fuse in projected, to

prevent the action of the 'timing mechanism after the timing mechanism has been adjusted to a certain position. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a time fuse, a timing means adjustable to determine the lapse of time prior to the action of the fuse on the bursting charge and having in addition to its timing adjustment, a dead point adjustment at which the action of the4 time fuse is prevented.

2. A time fuse having means for timin the fuse by a predetermined movement; sai timing means being'movable to a point from which it can not move to release the firing means.

3, A time! fuse havin a timing means movable to determine t e time that will elapse before a charge is ignited, and a detent adapted to engage said timing means when the means is moved to a dead point, to prevent movement of the timing means in the direction to cause ignition of the char e.

4. In a time fuse, the combination of t e charge to be ignited, the means for igniting the charge, the timing mechanism releasing said igniting means by a predetermined movement of the timing mechanism; said timing mechanism being movable to a dead point from which it can not move to release the igniting means.

5. In a time fuse, the combination of the igniting means, the timing means moving to a given point to release the igniting means and adjustable to different time points to vary thc distance through which 1t moves to reach the releasing point, and also movable igniting means, a locking ring controlling the wniting means movable to a point at which til-1e igniting means is released and also adapted to be set at different time points to predetermine the distance through which the locking ring must move to reach the releasing point and also movable to a dead point from which it can not move to the releasing point, and a locking lever adapted to engage and arrest the ring when set. at the dead point.

7. In a time fuse, the combination of the igniting means, the time mechanism rotatable from different time points at which it may be set to a point to release the igniting means, a locking arm through which said locking ringcontrolS the igniting means, means actuated by the firing of the projectile to release said locking arm, and a projection on the locking rin through which the-ring is engaged by the loc ing arm and arrested in its movement toward the releasing point when said ring has been reviously set to a dead point.

8. n a time fuse, the combination of the firing device, the rotating shaft having a shoulder for retainin said firing device ininactive position, a loc in arm controlling the rotation of said shaft, a ocking ring having a recess to admit the lockin arm when the ring reaches a point at which t e iiring means is to be released, a retaining device holding the locking arm normally away from the ring but releasin it when the projectile is fired to permit the Iocking arm to move against the ring, and a projection on the ring whose path is intersected by the locking arm after the latter is released, and when the ring has been previously adjusted to a dead point.

9.' In a time fuse, the combination with the spring-driven timin -means adjustable to determine the lapse of time prior to the action of the fuse, of means for preventing the action of the timing-means when the timingmeans is adjusted to a certain position.

' 10. In a time fuse, the combination with a locking-ring adjustable to determine the lapse of time prior to the action of the fuse, of means to engage the ring -and prevent its movement when the latter has been adjusted to a certain position. i

11. In a time fuse, the combgijzation with a locking-ring adjustable to determine the lapse `of time 'prior to'theaction of the fuse, of

means for producing ignition controlled by said ring, said means being adapted to engage the ring when the latter is adjusted to a certain position, to prevent the action of the ring.

12. In a time fuse, the combination with a locking-ring, of an ignition-controlling detent controlled by the ring and being adapted to interlock With the ring to prevent the movement of the ring when vthe latter is moved to a certain position. Y

13. ,In a time fuse, the combination of a time-adjustable locking-member, and an ignition-controlling'detent adapted for interlocking connection with the 'locking-member to prevent the action of the locking-member. A 14. In a time fuse, a spring driven timeadjustable locking-member and an ignitioncontrolling detent adapted for interlocking connection With thelocking-member to prevent the action of the locking-member.

j 15. A time fuse having adjustable timingmechanism, and means for preventing the action of the' timing-mechanism when the latter is adjusted to a certain position.

16. A time fuse having adjustable timingmechanism, and means for preventing thel 

